See Other Highlights of Italy

Amalfi Coast and Naples

why you should holiday on the amalfi coast

Experience the jaw-dropping vistas of this beautiful, dramatic coastline

Listen to outstanding music by coinciding your visit with a concert or festival

Spend the day in the company of a local historian discovering the WWII sites of old Naples

Visit the preserved Roman citiy of Pompeii, and the volcano Vesuvius that brought an abrupt end to it's inhabitants

Be sure to sample the Neopolitan pastry and chocolates and the famous pizza of Naples

our specialists 'must do'

Even in the peak summer months, enjoy the Amalfi Coast far from the crowds by renting a boat to explore the areas secret coves or by heading up into the mountains to walk often deserted footpaths.

a little more about a holiday on the amalfi coast

The spectacular Amalfi Coast is considered Italy’s most scenic stretch of coastline, offering a beguiling combination of picturesque, hillside villages and towns spilling down cliff sides to fishing ports and beaches below. Deemed by UNESCO as “an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape, with exceptional cultural and natural scenic values”.

The most famous towns are Amalfi, Positano and Ravello. Amalfi is the largest town along this mountainous stretch of coastline and a great base from which you can explore the surrounding towns and villages. Visit the 9th century Duomo in the central piazza followed by an afternoon exploring the narrow white alleyways and browsing the shops. Amalfi has a small beach which gets very busy on summer weekends so a good day trip is to the Isle of Capri with ferries or private boats available most days. Positano is a village on the coast to the west of Amalfi, with an international, cosmopolitan atmosphere where people tend to stay to eat, relax and shop. Ravello is situated above the Amalfi Coast, its scenic beauty making it a popular destination for tourists and earned it a listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Well worth visiting are the Cathedral and the gardens of Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone.

In each place there are some fantastic hotels to choose from and our travel experts can guide you as to where to stay depending on your budget and preferences.

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT A HOLIDAY to NAPLES

Naples is a stark contrast to the Amalfi coast and a worthwhile city break.

There is an old Italian saying say “see Naples and die” implying once you’ve seen Naples there is nothing left worth seeing. As a visitor during the last century probably from cholera, but your main concern today should be dodging the all-access mopeds. This city is like Marmite, love it or hate it, the grittiness, noise, bustle, chaotic labyrinth of alleyways in the Spanish Quarter and the best pizzas in Italy. All in the shadow of grumbling Vesuvius. Briefly forget the sights – sit yourself down at any busy café and soak up the local life. Explore the narrow streets of Old Naples on foot. The city's growing reputation for contemporary art has recently created a stir. For those interested in history, take a guided tour visiting WWII sites including the Royal Palace and the Galleria Borbonica, complete with war shelter. Did you know the church of St Eligio still shows the exact time of the bombings on the clock front today?

WHEN TO GO TO THE AMALFI COAST AND NAPLES

The season to visit this area is from April to the end of September but the best time to go is between April and June when the spring flowers burst into bloom and the sun is already warm enough to allow a swim in the ocean. Avoid August when you can barely find space. Travel in Autumn is quieter and cheaper and the sea can still be swimmable until early November.